He's one of Ireland’s biggest stars but even Tom Vaughan-Lawlor has struggled to make ends meet.

In an exclusive interview with the Irish Sunday Mirror, the Love/Hate actor admitted he was skint in between filming seasons of the hit series.

Tom, who plays gang boss Nidge, said: “Being an actor is a very strange job. In fact, I remember we had done season three and it was being shown and we were on billboards everywhere.

“And my dad said, ‘You’re in bus shelters everywhere’, and I said, ‘I couldn’t afford the price for a bus [ticket] at the moment’.

“What’s amazing is you can work solidly for three months and get paid well but that could be your money for the year, you might not work for the rest of the year for whatever reason.

“I’m very fortunate Love/Hate has had a huge impact on my everyday life and in my professional life it has opened doors for me. It has had a huge impact on my career.

“But again, it’s the funny thing that you can’t count your chickens, you always have to be moving forward, you can’t fall back on anything.”

Acting may be a difficult and precarious profession but this hasn’t put off Tom, who has a real passion for the arts.

He said: “My dad is an actor so I grew up in the house of an actor and I was always aware of the insecurities of the job and the intensity of that life.

“And my wife [Claire Cox] is an actor so we are in it together, we support one another and she understands how hard it is for me and I understand how hard it is for her.

“I’m one of the lucky ones. That sounds like I’m moaning… I’m really not.

“It’s a really tough profession and I think anyone who aims to become an actor and commits himself to acting has to be commended because it’s a life full of insecurity.

“It’s also a life of rejection – continuous rejection, no matter how high you go. It’s something that you have to keep committing to.

“But I think it’s best separating your craft from the business side.

“You have to maintain your love for the work and your love is the reason you became an actor and keep that fire lit and always nurture and protect that so any time you get the other side – the kicks or the knocks or whatever – once you keep that protected, you’ll be fine. Having said that, I’m very, very fortunate right now and the secret is to give everything of yourself to make the most of it.”

Tom’s talent is undeniable. He proved himself as an accomplished stage actor by training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before going on to star in numerous plays.

But it was his appearance in Love/Hate which finally gave Tom mainstream recognition.

And the humble 36-year-old admitted the RTE show has allowed him to live one of his childhood dreams.

Tom said: “I’m always saying it, it’s the part of a lifetime. Actors can wait their whole lives for an opportunity or a chance like this and as the show’s gone on, you read scenes and you go, ‘Oh my God!’.

“It’s the kind of scenes, it’s the kind of role you dream of as an acting student when you are studying drama, to be in these kind of muscular, intense, emotional, high-stakes scenes – that’s what you dream about.

“And so I’ve been allowed, I’m having the opportunity to experience that, to stretch the muscle and what I am most conscious of is making the most of it.

“Once you can come home and look yourself in the mirror and say, ‘I’ve given everything I could give today’, then I’m happy.”

Nidge with screen wife Trish

Tom seems incredibly grateful to have landed a leading role in the award-winning show and when asked if it had spoiled him for other roles, he admitted: “Probably, I think so.

“There are always new challenges. I’ll play parts hopefully that are very different to him… I’m doing something at the moment on Charlie Haughey.

“I’m playing PJ Mara and he’s completely different. And so that in itself is a joy to play a character who is so different.

“It’s a very different challenge, it’s a very different pace and tempo, so is a huge joy too.

“But yeah [Love/Hate] may have spoiled me. It was also kind of a boyhood dream of driving fast cars and stuff so I’m very, very lucky.”

Tom is delighted to be working again with former co-star Aidan Gillen for the upcoming series on controversial ex-Taoiseach Haughey.

Aidan, who played gang leader John Boy, will be taking on the role of the disgraced politician.

Tom said: “He’s an amazing actor, he’s a great professional.

“His part in Charlie is huge. It’s inspiring to watch him work and his dedication, his commitment and his generosity is real.”

Tom admitted he learned a lot from The Wire star, who he considers something of a mentor.

He said: “We were on Love/Hate, we were very green, all of us were really.

“Robbie [Robert Sheehan] had some experience but the rest of us were just completely new to it.

“We were fascinated by him and his work in The Wire and in Queer as Folk and so we all looked up to him.

“He was so generous with his time, there was no ego. He’s self-effacing and he’s a very modest man as well, he’s great.”